Deezer announced last Friday that it has started labeling albums containing AI-generated music, taking significant steps to combat the growing issue of streaming fraud.
The company revealed that approximately 18% of music uploaded each day—over 20,000 tracks—is currently entirely AI-generated. Deezer noted that while most of these AI-produced tracks do not achieve widespread popularity, around 70% of streams for such content are fraudulent, aiming solely at earning royalties by exploiting the streaming platform’s system.
To address this issue, Deezer has implemented clear tagging for AI-generated tracks. Such music tracks will not be featured in its editorial playlists or recommended by its algorithms, and fraudulent streams originating from these AI-generated works are being carefully filtered to prevent improper royalty payments.
According to Deezer, the new labeling initiative is designed to be a major step forward in helping listeners easily distinguish between content created by people and content produced through artificial intelligence. Though AI-generated music currently accounts for only about 0.5% of total streams on the Deezer platform, the company emphasized that this percentage is quickly climbing.
“We have identified a considerable increase in AI-generated music submissions in recent months, and there’s no indication it’s going to slow,” Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier said in a statement. “This is an issue impacting the entire industry, and we intend to lead by example, increasing transparency so music fans can see clearly which albums involve AI-generated content.”
Lanternier continued, “Artificial intelligence itself is neither inherently good nor inherently bad; however, employing it responsibly and transparently is essential for maintaining user trust and ensuring fairness in the music ecosystem. At a time when new technology is challenging established copyright laws, safeguarding the rights of artists and songwriters remains paramount.”
Deezer’s proactive move follows its filing of two patents in December 2024 related to AI-content detection technology. The patents outline approaches focused on identifying “unique signatures” within content that enable differentiation between synthetic and authentic music.
This development also comes amid ongoing reports of major music labels—including Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony Music Entertainment—in negotiations to license their catalogs to AI-driven start-ups like Udio and Suno, amid legal disputes alleging copyright infringement. Such arrangements could eventually help resolve existing lawsuits brought by major music companies against generative AI startups.
